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Trade Unions

Theories and trade unionism in India

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Craft unions

Unions that represent skilled craft workers e.g.journalists, weavers, teachers, engineers etc.

Industrial unions Unions that represent all workersskilled, semiskilled,

unskilledemployed along industry lines

Employee associations Labor organizations that represent various groups of

professional and white-collar employees in labor-management relations.

Types of Unions: Classification based on

trade

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White collar workers association

White collared workers are registeredunder the Trade unions act or the

Societies Registration Act

So known as employees union oremployee or staff associations

Suffer much less from multiplicity,

politicalisation and outside leadership.

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Employers organisations/ association

Formation of ILO had provided an expliit rationale for theformation of employers asssociation. According to the ILO

constitution, the government had to send employers andworkers delegates and advisors, in agreement with theindustrial organisations which are most representative.

While the trade unions acted speedily and formed the AITUCin 1920.efforts to set up employers association took sometime.

Later on led to the formation of All india Organisation ofemployers and Employers federstion of India. Later in 1956,a superstructure called council of Indian Employers wasformed bringing both AIOE ana EFI under one umbrella.

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New roles of EOs

Lobbying/ awareness creation

Training consultancy services

Information dissemination/ publication/ experiencesharing

Legal advice/ assistance

Other services, if any as per requirement

Eos can be registered under The Trade Union Act,the Indian Companies Act or the Societies Act.

http://www.ioe-emp.org/en/about-us/index.html

http://www.efionline.in/strategic_alliances.html

http://www.ioe-emp.org/en/about-us/index.htmlhttp://www.efionline.in/strategic_alliances.htmlhttp://www.efionline.in/strategic_alliances.htmlhttp://www.ioe-emp.org/en/about-us/index.htmlhttp://www.ioe-emp.org/en/about-us/index.htmlhttp://www.ioe-emp.org/en/about-us/index.htmlhttp://www.ioe-emp.org/en/about-us/index.htmlhttp://www.ioe-emp.org/en/about-us/index.html

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Qualified union Unions having at least 5% of membership of total

employees

Primary Unions Having membership of at least 15% of the employees

in an undertaking

Representative Union Having a membership of not less than 25% of the total

employees as members in an undertaking

Types of Unions: Classification based on

representation

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Theories of trade unions

Revolutionary theory Propounded by Marx and Hegels

According to it instruments of production mustbelong to workers.

TU are preparations for a revolution in which

capitalists must be destroyed. Workers must take over industry and

government.

But events in USSR could not lend support tothe theory

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Industrial Democracy theory

Put forth by Sidney and Beatrice Webb.

It suggests democracy in industry as ingovernment.

It suggests that through Unions, the

workers protect themselves from thepower and influence of owners.

All rules and regulations are developed inorder to protect the rights of the Labour.

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Business theory

Put forth by Samuel Gompers

Emphasised that the primary objective of the

unions was to protect the economic interest ofthe workers.

Gompers viewed unions as the labor's collectivevoice in the industrial world. He wanted topartner with business to promote higher wages

(and higher profits). Gompers viewed unions as the labor component

of a business operation, neither superior norinferior to the management component, but justas essential.

This theory opposes the revolutionary theory.

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Socio-Psychological theory

According to this theory, workers joinunion to meet their socio-psychological

needs like physiological, security,

companionship etc.

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Change theory

As per Selig Perlman, the objectives of labour movementchanges from time to time.

Though he did emphasize upon union being based uponscarcity consciousness.

Hence no simple theory can explain union and labourrelations.

Perlman explains the state of labor movement according to

three factors:1. The resistance power of capitalism,

2. The role and influence of the intellectual and

3. The maturity of the home grown trade union movement.

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Evolution: Phase I 1850-1900

The first phase falls between 1850 and 1900 during which theinception of trade unions took place.

During this period of the growth of Indian Capitalist enterprises,the working and living conditions of the labour were poor andtheir working hours were long. Their wages were low andgeneral economic conditions were poor in industries.

Guided by educated philanthropists and social workers likeMr.N.K. Lokhande, the growth of trade union movement was

slow in this phase. Many strikes took place in the two decadesfollowing 1880 in all industrial cities.

These strikes taught workers to understand the power of unitedaction even though there was no union in real terms. Smallassociations like Bombay Mill-Hands Association came upwhich is known as the first TU in India.

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Phase-II 1900-1947 (Growth Phase)

1900-1910: following TU were formed

Printers union in Calcutta in 1905

Postal union in Madras and Calcutta in

1907

Kamgaar Hitwardhak Sabha in 1910

These were basically welfare

organisations with a touch of unionism

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Phase IIcontd

1914-1918- 1st world war: The World War I and

the intensification of Indian Independencestruggle assisted the growth of Indian trade unionmovement.

1917-Russian revolution The Russian revolutionand the communist government formation in

Russia consolidated the workers movement allover the world.

1919- formation of ILO- this consolidated theworkers rights and gave international recognition

and respectability to trade unionism

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Phase II-contd..

1920- AITUC- was formed with the fusion of 107

unions in 1920 In 1920, first Trade Disputes Act was passed

indirectly stifling or making unions illegal

Subsequent industrial unrest and theinternational pressures exerted through ILO ledto Factories Act in 1922, Indian Mines Act 1923,Workmens Compensation 1923 were enacted. Lastly Indian Trade Union Act was passed in 1926

Split in trade union movement

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Phase III- 1947--- and on

The third phase began with the emergence ofindependent India (in 1947), and the Government sought

the cooperation of the unions for planned economicdevelopment.

The working class movement was also politicized along thelines of political parties. For instance Indian national tradeUnion Congress (INTUC) is the trade union arm of theCongress Party. The AITUC is the trade union arm of the

Communist Party of India. Besides workers, white-collaremployees, supervisors and managers are also organizedby the trade unions, as for example in the Banking,Insurance and Petroleum industries.

A large number of Labour legislations were passed.

Formation of the TU in the lines of politicl parties also

started.

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The constant inflow of outside and international influences;

The pressure of trade union rivalries, often based on political orideological differences;

Governments Industrial Relations Policy with its provision forcompulsory adjudication machinery;

The enactment of labour laws conferring special privileges onregistered trade unions;

Desire of workers to unite for safeguarding their interest especially toface harder conditions for labour such as retrenchment, lay-off, etc.;

The post-independence period has been important for the trade union

movement in India. The most important factors being:

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Present Scenario of the Trade Union Movement

The Indian trade unions have come to stay now not as ad hoc bodies orstrike committees but as permanent features of the industrial society.

The unions succeeded in organizing Central Union Federations which helpin the determination of principles, philosophy, ideology and purposes ofthe unions and give some sense of direction to the otherwise scattered andisolated large number of unions.

The unions have achieved a remarkable status where their voices are heardby the government and the employers; they are consulted on matterspertaining to improvement in conditions of work health and safety, jobsecurity, wages, productivity, all matters concerning the interests of labour.

The trade union rivalries have become sharper in free India. The splitting upof unions and formation of new unions having sympathies with politicalparties have permitted unions operating at different levels.